Tripod gun rests



Jan. 16, 1962 A. GRUNENBERG TRIPOD GUN RESTS Filed Aug. 1, 1958INVENTOR.

G ELJN EN BERG- ANTO N A'T'T'OENEYS Patented Jan. 16, 1962 Thisinvention relates to a novel sportsmans portable and collapsible tripodgun rest.

In the hunting of small game, such as woodchucks or crows, it is oftennecessary to take shots at the game at long range. In thesecircumstances, it is difficult to accurately and steadily aim theweapon, since the weapon does not have, below the barrel thereof, asteady support.

In accordance with the present invention, a tripod rest is provided,that is especially designed to facilitate the accurate aiming of a riflein the indicated circumstances. To this end, the invention, summarizedbriefly, includes a body portion or support block, and further includesthree support legs uniformly, angularly spaced about the circumferenceof said block. The legs are pivotally connected to the block to swingbetween folded and outwardly swung, operative positions. Supported uponthe block for rotation about a vertical axis is a turntable or plate,and engaged in said plate is an upwardly opening, forklilce cradle for arifle. The cradle and plate turn together, with the cradle beingprovided at the upper end of a screw that constitutes a spindle or shaftwhereby the'plate is supported rotatably upon the block. Spring means isinterposed between the spindle means and the block, tending to engagethe fork firmly against the plate, so that it will rotate therewith. Animportant object of the invention is to provide a rest as describedwherein the plate will be held firmly against the block so as not to beaccidentally rotated from its assigned position.

Another object is to permit the plate to be swiftly rotated to a newposition whenever desired, despite its normal firm engagement with theblock.

Another object is to provide rests of the character described which canbe readily, easily disassembled or assembled.

Another object is to so form the rest that it will not interfere withaiming and firing of the weapon.

Another object is to provide a rest as stated which will be light,readily portable, and swiftly erected at any desired location.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claimsappended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout the several views, andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a rest according to the presentinvention, as it appears when in use;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view substantially on line 22of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section on the same scale as FIGURE 2, taken online 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section on the same scale as FIGURE 2, taken online 44 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the illustrated gun res-t generallydesignated 10, is shown in FIGURE 1 in supporting relation to a rifle R.It has been found that when a rifle is equipped with a scope, and issupported upon a rest of the invention, accurate aim can be swiftlytaken, and exceptionally good results had in hitting small game, such aswoodchucks, and the like.

The gun rest comprises three identically formed, elongated, straightlegs 12 angularly spaced 60 degrees apart and having sharply tippedlower ends 13 to facilitate their firm engagement in the ground G.

The upper ends of the legs 12 are formed with longitudinal slots 14which receive radial lugs 22 on the downwardly tapering lower portion ofa circular cross section,

vertically elongated block 16. The block is formed with an axial bore 18in its upper part, which opens into an axial counterbore 20 which opensto the lower end 21 of the block. Pivot pins 24 extend through the upperends of the legs 12, and the lugs 22, so that the legs 12 are pivotallyconnected to the block 16 to swing between closed positions against thetapered lower part of the block, wherein the legs are compactly bunched,and open positions in which the legs diverge downwardly from the block.Journalled in and extending downwardly through the bore 18, and thecounterbore 20, is an elongated stem 26 which projects above the upperend of the block and has rigidly fixed thereon a U-shaped fork or cradle44. The bight portion 45 of the cradle rests upon the upper surface ofan annular rib 30 on a turntable disc 31, which bears upon the upper end19 of the block 16, and has a central opening 32 which passes the stem26.

At diametrically opposed locations, the rib 30 is indented by notches29, which receive portions of the cradle 44.

An expanding coil spring 36 is circumposed on the stem 26 within thecounterbore 20, and is compressed between the upper end 33 of thecounterbore and a washer 40 on the lower end of the stem which is heldup in place by a nut 38 threaded on the stem, and secured againstrotation on the stem by a cotter pin 42, the washer 4t) being engagedwith the lower end 21 of. the block 26. 1

The spring 36 biases the fork 44 downwardly on the rib 39, so that whenthe fork is rotated around the rib, the fork bight portion 45 can dropinto the notches 29 and be held against rotation relative to the block16 and the legs 12. The tension of the spring causes the turntable 31 tobind frictionally upon the upper end 19 of the block, so that theturntable is frictionally held against rotation relative to the block,in any position to which the turntable may be turned. Rotation of theturntable 31, and hence of the fork 44, to any desired posit-ion, can beobtained simply by exerting the necessary manual force.

The U-shaped cradle or fork '44 is provided with a protective covering46 of resilient flexible material, which is preferably stitched, as at48, along the outer sides of the legs and bight portion of the fork.

The covering, at the underside bight portion of the fork 44 is cut awayas at St at both sides of the stem 26, so that the material of the bightportion 45 rides directly upon the rib 30.

In use of the device, as will be understood it can be readilytransported from place to place. Wherever the device is to be used, itis erected in the position shown in FIGURE 1, with the legs 12 spreadand engaged in the ground.

When the device is set up, the stock of the rifle can be laid in thefork 44 in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. This stabilizes the barrel ofthe rifle, so that accurate aim can be taken. The rifle will remainsteady during the firing thereof. It will be understood that the rifle,While engaged in the fork 44, can be swung upwardly or downwardlyrelative thereto, or pivoted about a horizontal, transverse axis wherethe stock of the rifle is directly contacted by the cradle. Further, therifle can be swung from side to side as well as upwardly and downwardly.When swung from side to side, the cradle permits a certain amount oflateral swinging movement of the rifle Without producing rotation of theturntable 31 on the block. Should wider swinging movement of the gun berequired, the gun itself can be engaged with one or the other of theupstanding legs of the fork, with sufficient force to rotate theturntable 31. Following said rotation, the plate will automaticallyfrictionally hind against the block, so as not to be freely movable uponthe block.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confinedto the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may beutilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the inventionto be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated anddescribed, since such construction is only intended to be illustrativeof the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carryout said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehendsany minor change in construction comprehended within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A gun rest comprising a tripod having legs, a block on which theupper ends of the legs are pivoted, said block having fiat upper andlower ends, a U-shaped fork having a bight portion and upstanding legs,a downwardly extending stem fixed centrally to said bight portion, aturntable resting rotatably upon the upper end of the block, saidturntable having a central opening passing said stem, an annularupstanding rib on the turntable having an upper surface upon which thebight portion of the fork rests, said block having an axial bore openingto its upper end and a counterbore opening to its lower end into whichthe bore opens, said counterbore having an upper end, said sternextending downwardly through the bore and the counterbore and beingjournaled through the bore and through the opening of the turntable, awasher circumposed on the stern and bearing against the lower end of theblock, a nut threaded on the stem against the underside of the washer,and a helical spring circumposed on the stem and compressed between thewasher and the upper end of the counterbore.

2. A gun rest comprising a tripod having legs, a block on which theupper ends of the legs are pivoted, said block having fiat upper andlower ends, a U-shaped fork having a bight portion and upstanding legs,a downwardly extension stem fixed centrally to said bight portion, aturntable resting rotatably upon the upper end of the block, saidturntable having a central opening passing said stem, an annularupstanding rib on the turntable having an upper surface upon which thebight portion of the fork rests, said block having an axial bore openingto its upper end and a counterbore opening to its lower end into whichthe bore opens, said counterbore having an upper end, said stemextending downwardly through the bore and the counterbore and beingjournaled in the bore and in the opening of the turntable, a washercircumposed on the stem and bearing against the lower end of the block,a nut threaded on the stem against the underside of the washer, and ahelical spring circumposed on the stem and compressed between the washerand the upper end of the counterbore, said turntable rib havingdiametrically opposed notches in its upper surface into which portionsof the bight portion of the fork can engage to connect the fork forrotation with the turntable relative to the block.

3. A gun rest comprising a tripod having legs, a block on which theupper ends of the legs are pivoted, said block having flat upper andlower ends, a U-shaped fork having a bight portion and upstanding legs,a downwardly extending stem fixed centrally to said bight portion, aturntable resting rotatably upon the upper end of the block, saidturntable having a central opening passing said stem, an annularupstanding rib on the turntable having an upper surface upon which thebight portion of the fork rests, said block having, an axial boreopening to its upper end and a counterbore opening to its lower endintowhich the bore opens, said counterbore having an upper end, said sternextending downwardly through the bore and the counterbore and beingjournaled through the bore and through the opening of the turntable, awasher circumposed on the stem and bearing against the lower end of theblock, a nut threaded on the stem against the underside of the washer,and a helical spring circumposed on the stem and compressed between thewasher and the upper end of the counterbore, said block having adownwardly tapering lower portion, radial lugs fixed in said lowerportion and spaced above the lower end of the block, said legs havingupper ends pivoted on the legs to close from spread positions to closedand bunched relationship against the surface of said tapered lowerportion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS757,766 Palmer Apr. 19, 1904- 951,606 Hanstein Mar. 8, 1910 1,280,304Roberts Oct. 1, 1918 1,890,423 Teagarden Dec. 6, 1932 2,652,218 DeanSept. 15, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 685,654 Germany Dec. 21, 1939

